Young & Socially Awkward
by tippykazoo
Summary: Stories about FitzSimmons in the years before they went out into the field. Various themes, all flowing together. The first chapter has a cyborg cat so, you're gonna want to check that out, right?
1. Chapter 1

Rating: "T" because I'm paranoid.

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to ABC & Marvel. Heck man, even I practically belong to them at this point.

**Chapter 1: Newt**

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><p>"Oh no, where have I left it?" Fitz could hear Simmons inside her dorm, rummaging through things and talking to herself. <em>That's funny. It's good I'm always working with her or else everyone would know she talks to herself./_ Fitz thought absently.

"You poor thing," Simmons exclaimed. This was different. Maybe she wasn't talking to herself after all. Fitz raised his hand to knock on her door, curious to find out what was going on inside. At the sound of his knock, suddenly everything went silent inside the dorm.

"Just a moment," Simmons called out, anxiety skirting her tone.

"It's just me Simmons," Fitz announced.

"Perhaps two moments then?" Simmons asked. Fitz could hear drawers being shut and things being moved. Something made of glass shattered.

"Are you alright in there?" Fitz asked at the noise, his curiosity venturing into worry.

"Oh, uhm, yes. Erm, I'm naked! Getting changed!" Simmons was obviously using her lying voice but a blush rose up on Fitz's cheeks anyway.

"Should I just come back later then?" Fitz asked, trying to imagine what she was up to and thinking maybe he'd rather not know.

Everything went silent, like she was thinking or trying to come up with another lie maybe. He could hear her strides towards the door and then she opened it just a bit so as to peek her head out.

"You can keep a secret, right?" Simmons asked. Fitz's confusion was all over his face. He quickly replaced his expression with a knowing stare.

"We're at a school to become part of a secret organization. I think I've got it covered." He told her. She rolled her eyes and then quickly reached an arm through the door's opening to grab him by the elbow and pull him inside. _/Simmons gets aggressive when she's panicked./_ Fitz mused as he was tugged into a messy dorm room.

"What happened to your..." Fitz started but stopped when Simmons held up a hand to quiet him.

"As you know, I don't like to break rules. And, quite frankly, I'm not very good at breaking them." Simmons kept wringing her hands as she spoke. "I simply felt that this particular circumstance was an exception to my usual stance on rules. A life was at stake and why be a scientist if I can't help?" She was rambling. "But I really must ask you to promise to not tell on me because I could get into a great deal of trouble. And I really don't think I'm prepared to deal with that."

"Alright, I promise. What have you done, Simmons?" Fitz interrupted, mind beginning to whir with theories of her rule breaking.

Instead of answering, Simmons merely moved over to stand beside her bed and pulled back the blankets to reveal a fluffy little cat. Fitz couldn't help but let a laugh burst out of him.

"This is your big, rebellious rule breaking, is it? You've brought a cat into your dorm? I'll be sure to let everyone know how scandalous you are, Simmons."

"Fitz... It's not funny! I could be suspended! Pets are not allowed in the dorms!" Simmons argued, trying to get him to understand the severity of her predicament.

"If you're so worried, why don't you just get rid of it? And how's having a cat considered a life being at stake? I don't know what people told you about punishments, but suspension isn't the same as the death penalty." Fitz didn't even try to hide his smirk as he spoke. Simmons gave him a glare in return.

"Not _my_ life. _Newt's_." She gestured to the cat.

"Oh no! You've given it a name?" Fitz's features seamlessly mixed worry and amusement.

"I had to call him something while I was patching him up! The poor thing had been abandoned and hit by a car! If animal control had taken him, they'd probably just have had him put down. At least with me, he stood a chance. Not to mention, I really couldn't pass up an opportunity to work on a living creature of this size. It's always rats!" Simmons always spoke fast when she was defending herself. She sounded thoroughly exasperated by her final sentence.

"Alright, alright. Calm down, Simmons. I'll keep your secret." Fitz promised, taking a seat on the bed to pet Newt on the head. "So, what's wrong with the little lad?"

"Mostly bleeding. I had to shave some fur to properly stitch him up. Lots of bruising. One of his back legs broke and he's got a bit of damage to his spine. I don't think he'll be able to use his hind legs anymore." Simmons recounted her findings to him, pointing out spots of shaved fur and bandaging.

"How's he gonna walk?" Fitz asked, gears turning behind his eyes as he assessed Newt's state.

"I don't know. He'll probably need some sort of cart to pull his back legs. Perhaps you could help come up with something?" Simmons asked, her eyes on Fitz now instead of Newt.

"Project Feline Cyborg. I like it! Instead of wheels, I could make him some wee little metal hind legs that simulate walking when he moves his front legs." Fitz was getting excited while a look of concern and awe mingled on Simmons' face.

"It's moments like these when I'm not sure if you're scary or brilliant." Simmons confessed, teasingly.

"What's so scary?" He asked, a grin forming.

"That you'd want to name poor Newt, _Project Feline Cyborg_." Simmons scoffed. "Honestly, I don't know where you come up with such names."

"Probably too much Doctor Who growing up." Fitz shrugged.

"Then wouldn't you be calling him Cyber Cat?" Simmons joked, standing up from the bed and starting to organize her dorm.

"Touché." Fitz conceded. "So, how did your dorm end up such a mess? Normally, you're so against using chemicals outside the lab."

"I couldn't run tests on Newt down in one of the labs without being asked too many questions. And you weren't my only visitor today. One of the girls must have seen me bring Newt in and told campus security. They came knocking on my door about an hour ago. I buried Newt under my laundry until I convinced security it must be a prank." She explained, picking up clothing items as she spoke. She noted Fitz's eyes dart down away from her when she picked up a lacy bra, his cheeks flushing pink. She smiled to herself, wanting to tease but thinking better of it.

"And how exactly did you convince them? You're not exactly a world class liar." Fitz mused, pulling out a notebook and starting to draw what Simmons figured would be Newt's cyber legs.

"That's a bit embarrassing, actually." Simmons confessed, _her_ cheeks growing rosy now.

"Oh, I've got to hear this. Go on." He coaxed, eyes flitting back and forth between her and his notebook.

"Well, I got out that it was a prank but he didn't believe me. I started to become rather flustered, as I'm not accustomed to lying, and I began to cry. So then, he thought it really must have been a prank or why else would I be so upset? And then, he apologized and I really do feel awful about it. But poor Newt needed my help." Simmons confessed.

"Simmons, I think you might actually be a really good liar and you just don't know it. You manipulated that guy on _accident_." Fitz chuckled, a slight bit of astonishment showing. "Good thing you've always got good intentions or else I might be worried. Crying to get people to believe you... Wow." That last bit had been murmured.

"Please don't think poorly of me." Simmons pleaded, eyes wearing worry.

"I'd never think poorly of you. I'm only teasing." Fitz reassured her.

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><p>Days went by. Fitz spent his spare time between Simmons dorm and various labs where he'd get supplies. Newt's health improved, but his legs remained the same. Campus security began to joke, asking if Fitz was going to move into the girl's dorms. Girls in neighboring rooms started to talk about Simmons' <em>boy toy<em> while gossiping in their communal bathroom. On one such occasion, Simmons told the other girls not to talk about things they didn't understand.

After a few weeks, their efforts had paid off. Fitz strapped Newt into his new pair of hind legs and the two scientists stood back to watch him walk on his own. Simmons shed a few tears while Fitz wore an accomplished grin. The two had worked together on several projects before, being lab partners the past few months. Newt, however, was the first project they'd worked on together voluntarily outside of assigned work. It was the first time they really considered the possibilities in their future, together.

Unfortunately, reality came crashing down a few days later when security saw Newt sitting in the dorm window.

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><p><strong>Simmons:<strong> _They're taking Newt. I don't know what to do._

Simmons sent a text to Fitz that afternoon after the security guard placed a baffled looking Newt into a box.

**Fitz:** _On my way._

Simmons plopped herself down on the floor, cradling her phone as she tried to think of something she could do to make things right. Fitz arrived about ten minutes later into her pity party, not bothering to knock on her door as he'd become so used to stopping by. He was covered in grease and must have been working on something mechanical. He plopped himself down onto the floor to sit beside Simmons.

"I suppose I knew this was coming. It was just so much nicer thinking it might not, you know?" Simmons murmured, forcefully keeping her expression blank and her tone calm. Fitz shifted a little beside her, taking his time trying to think of the right thing to say to her. Before he could over think it, he reached a hand over and took one of hers, resting their laced fingers against the dorm room carpet.

"Just because you knew it was coming doesn't make it any less disappointing." He told her gently. "Newt was ours. We made him better and he became our family." At his words, Simmons squeezed his hand. They had been like an odd little family. Two scientists and their cyborg cat. Newt had also helped them see their potential as a duo. And now, their cat was being taken away.

"I wish I could have at least had a little more time with him. Maybe I could have tried to find him a nice home." The disappointment in Simmons' voice was clear and echoed inside Fitz's head.

"Wait, Simmons, that's it! But I've got to go fast." Fitz's voice had become urgent and he was off like a shot, leaving Simmons with her brows furrowed in confusion.

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><p>That evening, Simmons was called to a counselor's office under the premise of receiving her punishment for keeping an animal in her dorm. Her body trembled with anxiety as her mind raced. <em>I've never been in trouble like this before. Perhaps they won't suspend me since this is my first offense. Or maybe, I'm in even more trouble than I thought. What if they get angry that I turned my room into a small lab? What if I'm expelled? Should I call my parents? What if they take things the wrong way and try to charge me some kind of animal abuse? Do I need a lawyer? I wish Fitz was here. Fitz! I hope he doesn't get into trouble as well!/_

Upon reaching the office, Simmons spotted Fitz standing outside the door. Her pace fastened and he started towards her once he spotted her. He didn't look half as nervous as Simmons and placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her once within reach.

"Are you in trouble too?" Simmons asked, eyes wide. Before he could answer, Dr. Brealey, the counselor, opened the door and gestured for them both to enter. Fitz's hand dropped from Simmons' shoulder and he led the way.

Once inside the office, Simmons realized they had another person in attendance, a professor who looked only vaguely familiar to her. Fitz gave a small nod of recognition in the professor's direction.

"Mr. Fitz, Ms. Simmons, please take a seat." Dr. Brealey gestured to a pair of seats before the desk. Fitz couldn't help but note that Simmons looked about ready to pass out from nerves. Brealey offered a gentle smile as if that would help ease the younger woman. "We're here in regards to the cat Ms. Simmons was keeping in her dorm. I'd like to begin by informing you both that you're in no formal trouble. I must, however, advise against keeping future pets in the dorms lest you'd prefer to be reprimanded with a formal punishment." At Brealey's words, Simmons began to calm a little, Fitz shooting his partner a reassuring glance.

"The reason no formal punishment has been taken into consideration is because of the state in which the campus security guard found the cat in question. It appears the feline had been injured, and then healed by the two of you. And, more notably, the feline was given a contraption custom built to assist it with the permanent damage to its hind legs. This feat of both medical and engineering expertise from a pair of first year students with minimal resources and an unfit working environment shows great strength of character. It is well known that those who work in the field are often subjected to harsh circumstances. This cat seems to have offered the two of you an important lesson and you have both impressively risen to the occasion without the incentive of a high marked grade in return." Dr. Brealey managed a soft smile as she spoke. She was proud of them; proud of these two young people S.H.I.E.L.D. had found. The looks upon the two scientists' faces were something else entirely.

Simmons looked shocked. She'd broken the rules! She was being patted on the back for getting into trouble! This came as such a surprise to her. Fitz, on the other hand, looked flattered and a little sheepish. He'd already confessed their side of the story about Newt to Dr. Brealey and his professor earlier that day. He had not expected such praise though!

"I... It wasn't about us or the lesson we learned." Simmons finally spoke, stumbling over her opening words. "All of this was for Newt, the cat." She confessed, as if requesting Brealey take back her kind words. It was then that Fitz gave her the look. His expression held many meanings. Part of him was saying, _/Jemma, stop. We're not in trouble! Don't ask for a punishment!/_ The other part, a much warmer and deep-rooted part of him, looked at her like she was something precious to him. Such a pure kindness had spilled from Simmons. She cared so much and Fitz couldn't help but admire that. He hoped that, no matter what their futures held, Simmons would hold onto that compassion, that eagerness to help the vulnerable and weak.

"That brings up the matter of the cat." Dr. Brealey's voice pulled Fitz from his thoughts. "Mr. Fitz here has graciously solved the problem of the cat's living situation, with the help of Professor Greene, that is." Brealey gestured to the professor, finally acknowledging his presence. At this, Fitz perked up.

"Professor Greene works in robotics. He's also fond of cats. He's going to take Newt. It's kind of perfect, right? He'll be able to handle Newt's special legs and everything." Fitz enthused, locking eyes with Simmons all the while. Tears had welled in her eyes as he spoke and Fitz paused at her reaction. "Have I done alright?" He asked, suddenly nervous. Maybe he was being graded after all, in friendship. Simmons sniffed before speaking.

"Oh Fitz, you've done everything perfectly!" She exclaimed, leaning awkwardly across the chairs to hug him with shaky arms, she was still feeling emotional. "And you too, Professor! I can't thank you enough! Thank you Dr. Brealey for facilitating all this." Ever polite, Simmons gushed her appreciation before the pair were dismissed from the office. Simmons waited in the hall for a few minutes while Professor Greene and Fitz traded a few words. Soon enough, Fitz was by her side once more.

"You protected him." Simmons murmured, nudging Fitz with her elbow, a playful smile flitting upon her face.

"Of course I did! He was our cat." Fitz said simply, as if there were no question on the matter.

"You're amazing." Simmons murmured, softer now as they walked through the halls. Her face had become thoughtful. Fitz blushed, eyes on the floor. Neither spoke of her compliment. They simply went back to their respective dorms, offering sheepish "goodnights" when they parted ways.

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><p>Author Notes: K, so, I know nothing about science. I have zero medical knowledge. When I write FitzSimmons speaking, it's purely out of cuteness, not to speak from an educated standpoint. Just giving you guys a heads up on that front. Also, this is chapter 1 of several. I'll try and update pretty consistently. I've already got chapter 2 written and just need to type it up before I can put it up here. As a little sneak peek, I'll let you guys know the next chapter will be titled "Shave" and each chapter has a sort of theme to it. Not all the chapters will be about Newt the cat. Although, they might talk about Newt a little cause they had a robot cat and that's freaking awesome. Feel free to read and review. I love to hear what you guys have to say because you're all really cool people. The chapters are all going to revolve around FitzSimmons before they go out into the field so, these early chapters are all just during the academy. There will also be several experiences that they have which they will forget over time andor never speak of again. The original idea of this fic was that these were the memories they sort of shoved into the back of their minds so they wouldn't have to acknowledge what they've been through together. So, yes, yay! Let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

Rating: "T" because I'm paranoid.

Disclaimer: ABC and Marvel man, they got it goin' on.

**Chapter 2: Shave**

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><p>Fitz fidgeted restlessly as he made his fast pace across the academy campus beneath the bluish white outdoor lights. Both his hands clutched at the top of his head as he tried to stifle his internal panic. He spotted his best friend's dorm building up ahead and made it through late night security with little but a few raised brows and stifled laughs from the guards and tired looking stragglers. When he came to her door, he knocked a few times and then went back to covering his head. "Simmons, wake up! I need your help!" Fitz whispered urgently. He heard an unintelligible mumble and then some shuffling. Light crept beneath the door and Simmons opened up to let him in.<p>

"What's happened? Has there been an accident?" Simmons asked, looking bleary-eyed and tired.

"Something like that." Fitz replied, pushing the door open and entering uninvited; Simmons simply stepped aside and let him. Her room was back to being properly organized since Newt's departure and Fitz began to pace back and forth in the open space.

"Well... Are you going to tell me what's going on?" Simmons asked. Then, she caught a glimpse of the back of Fitz's head and let out a small gasp. "What happened to your hair?" Fitz stopped mid-pace at her inquiry. His face scrunched into a wince and Simmons woke up a little more.

"I fell asleep in the lab and now I've been reverse-Mohawked." Fitz looked at the floor, embarrassed.

"Reverse-Mohawked?" Simmons asked, moving closer and reaching to pull his hands away from his head, almost clinically. She observed a wide stripe of shaved down hair centered symmetrically down Fitz's head, the exact opposite of a traditional Mohawk.

"It's freshman pranking. No wonder so many underclassmen keep shaving their heads." Fitz shook his head with a look of defeat.

"Your poor curls." Simmons exclaimed. "They were so lovely, Fitz." She fussed over him as if he should have tried harder to guard them or something.

"That's just what every guy wants to hear! How _lovely_ he is! Thanks for that!" Fitz ranted, leaning forward to place his face into his open palms. He hadn't meant to make Simmons feel bad. He'd simply needed to let out a bit of his frustration.

"No need to get so worked up. This is fixable." Simmons told him, stepping away to begin searching a desk drawer for something. Fitz looked up to see her pulling an electric razor out. His eyes grew wide.

"What, have you got a PhD from beauty school as well now?" Fitz asked, sounding afraid.

"What did you think I was going to do? Create a serum for you to grow your hair back?" Simmons asked sarcastically.

"I don't know! I just know that whenever I panic, I come to you! And then you fix it! You always fix everything!" His words made her feel warm inside, even if they were trying to indicate that she wasn't fixing things properly this time around.

"For someone who has singed his eyebrows off -more than once- with various tools, you seem _pretty_ frightened about getting a little haircut." Simmons scolded as if he hadn't said anything. He met her words with a scowl.

"I can't pull off that short-cropped look. It makes me look like a military drop-out. I might be better off just keeping the reverse-Mohawk." Fitz told her, placing his hands protectively over the remainder of his curls.

"It will look handsome either way, I promise. And if you hate it, I'll knit you a hat." She offered, opening another drawer to pull out a towel to put around his shoulders. He blushed at her use of the word _handsome_.

"Alright, let's just get this over with then, before I change my mind." Fitz gave in, looking weary. She pulled out the desk chair and indicated for him to sit. He obliged and she leaned under the desk to plug in the razor.

"This whole thing is a bit ridiculous. Shaving someone's hair at 3 in the morning. You'd think at a school with students as intelligent as here at the academy, someone would come up with a more creative pranking method." Simmons made small talk as she took her place behind Fitz's chair. She plucked a clothespin off her desk and gently wrapped the towel around Fitz's shoulders, clipping it beneath his chin. She felt very close to him with her arms wrapped about him from behind and pulled away quickly, feeling like she was inching close to a dangerous line in their boundaries. She didn't need to see his face to know he was blushing.

"It was probably Langsley, the senior, he's always lacked imagination." Fitz picked up their conversation after only a brief awkward pause at the closeness of his best friend. His internal monologue held mixed emotions.

/_Wow, Simmons smells really nice. Her skin is so soft against my neck. Are those goosebumps rising up on my flesh? I've got to get it together. These are not friend feelings. Sure, Simmons is really attractive, but she's my best friend. She'd probably blush if she could read my thoughts right now. What if she could read my thoughts? We've come across all sorts of alien stuff. Mind reading really wouldn't be all that surprising. Oh no, what if she read my mind that one time I had that dream about her... No, I can't think about that right now! Great, now I'm really blushing. And she probably can't read minds, but she can read the look on my face._/ Luckily, she didn't mention anything.

"Mmk, I'm going to go ahead and start shaving. I know you're fidgety, but could you please try and hold still so I can make sure it looks even?" Simmons asked, turning on the razor and raising it up near his head readily.

"If it doesn't work out, you could always just wait til I fall asleep like my prankster did." Fitz joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"That would be incredibly unethical." Simmons told him, scrunching her brows together, deciding where to begin. She decided to start with the locks of hair closest to the reverse-Mohawk. The curls were soft to the touch. Simmons brows softened as her mind wandered.

/_I'm going to miss his curls. He always runs his hands through his hair when he's thinking. I never realized how soft his hair was until now though. It's kind of soothing. I wonder what he'd do if I ran my hands through his hair more often. He'd probably remind me that he's not a puppy and ask me not to pet him. Or he'd blush. Am I crossing that line again? I mean, this is just his hair! He probably just feels me tugging at it. Friends help each other with emergency pranking haircuts! This is normal!_/

She hadn't realized that she'd stopped shaving and was running her fingers through his curls on the right side of his head. What was even worse was the reflection of Fitz's eyes on her dark laptop screen, closed and smiling blissfully. Her face started to grow warm and she stopped playing with his hair to dutifully continue on shaving. When she stole a glance at his reflection once more, she found his eyes open and looking at her. Both of them pointedly averted their gazes, feeling ridiculous. Simmons pretended nothing had occurred because it hadn't really, right?

"I'll have you all finished up soon and you can put this whole incident behind you." Simmons spoke, thinking this was all normal and right as rain and she'd not just caressed her best friend's hair, repeatedly.

"You know Simmons, you're not half bad at this. Thanks for helping me out." Fitz expressed his gratitude, feeling bits of his hair falling down around him as Simmons shaved.

"It's no problem, really. If you ever discover who pranked you though, kindly ask them to schedule something during daytime hours next time." Simmons joked.

"Cheeky." Fitz muttered, noting that it felt like she might almost be finished based on the cold spots on his head. He surprised himself by wishing they could stay there longer, so that whatever this unmentioned feeling lingering between the two of them was, it would remain as strong as it felt.

Simmons turned the razor off and then instinctively began to smooth away the cut locks of hair still on his head. Her fingertips brushed off tiny strands from his now buzz-cut hairstyle. They ventured down to wipe away the wisps near the tops of his ears, where her hands lingered just a little too long, massaging gently just behind his ears absently. It wasn't until Fitz's ears grew hot and looked red from his blushing that Simmons realized she should stop. There was something so intimate about this whole experience to both Fitz and Simmons. Something about her touch and the way her exhaustion had pulled her guard down had left them both open to this whole other side of _them_.

Simmons remained there, behind him, having set the razor back down on the desk. She fumbled with her hands nervously, eying Fitz's still red ears. She was unable to speak first so, their awkward silence hung in the air between them.

Fitz was entirely too aware of the red on his face and didn't dare turn to face Simmons. He had no idea what to say to her. /_That was amazing. You've got the gentlest touch. Please, feel free to touch me however you like whenever you want. Don't mind that my skins feels like it's on fire. It's probably just passion. Have I mentioned lately how stunningly attractive I find you?_/ He wished he could shut his brain up. He also knew he had to _say_ something.

"That was really nice. Er, that felt good. I mean, the haircut. It feels good to not have that reverse-Mohawk. And, I mean, you were great. You've got gentle hands. And I really need to stop talking." Fitz stammered, feeling like an idiot.

"Oh yes, you really should. Stop talking, I mean." Simmons told him gently. "Fitz, it's just me. You don't need to be nervous with me. It's been a late night and we obviously both seem a bit loopy from lack of sleep." Simmons gave them both an out for their off behavior and Fitz let out a breath of relief.

"One more thing before I head to bed?" Fitz asked.

"Sure. What is it?" Simmons asked in turn as Fitz finally turned to face her.

"Do you think you might still knit me that hat? My head's bloody cold." Fitz grinned and the tension between them dissipated.

"Yes Fitz. It might be a day or two though." She smiled, as if his comment had given her back her good old best friend Fitz and had banished awkwardly attractive, alluring Fitz whom she'd just given a haircut.

"Thanks Simmons. For everything." Fitz said as he pulled the towel off from his shoulders and moved closer to make his exit from her dorm room door. "Goodnight."

"You're welcome." Simmons murmured. "Goodnight Fitz."

She closed the door after him and began to tidy up her room. She vacuumed up the hair from the floor, not able to sleep with such a mess waiting for her. She put away the electric razor and pushed the desk chair back into place. She sat down on the edge of her bed and imagined she could see that blissful look on Fitz's face reflected back at her on the laptop's screen. Then, she let herself go to sleep.

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><p>Fitz made his way through campus for the second time that night. He wasn't sure if the redness of his face had to do with the chilly air or his thoughts of Simmons. All he knew was that he didn't just ask for the hat to keep his head warm. He wanted it so he could hide his red ears from Simmons. Surely, he'd be spending a lot of time blushing over her.<p>

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><p>Author notes: Gosh guys, this chapter was so much fun to write! Doing their thoughts about each other was just really entertaining. I hope you enjoyed reading it. I'm hoping to get the next chapter up maybe next week. It shall be titled "Renaissance" and feel free to leave me a review. I love love love reading what you guys have to say. Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter. You guys are way too sweet!<p> 


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